“MILD” SPEECH BY CHOU

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27639, 21 April 1955, Page 13

“MILD” SPEECH BY CHOU

Bandung Address “Conciliatory” (Rec. 10 p.m.) NEW YORK, April 19. Mr Chou En-lai, Premier of Communist China, made an unexpectedly soft speech before the African-Asian conference at Bandung today on the eve of a meeting with seven neutral and pro-West-ern nations to discuoa Formosa. The Formosa meeting was set for Thursday, after Mr Chou, in his first speech to the 29-nation conference, offered Peking’s friendship to every nation, excepting the United States, which he accused of attempting to “subvert’’ Communist China. But in a ‘‘surprisingly un-warllke” discussion of world affairs, the Communist leader did not reaffirm his I previous vows to liberate Nationalistheld Formosa, and even his attack on the United States was mild. General Carlos Romulo, of the Philippines, described Mr Chou’s speech 1 today as “conciliatory” and “hopeful.” To other Asian and African nations, Mr Chou offered to settle any outstanding issues between them and Peking. He also offered to: (1) Regularise with Japan. (2) Discuss the problem of dual citizenship of 10,000,000 oversea* Chinese in South-east Asia—a problem of great importance to such countries as Indonesia, Siam and the Philippines. (3) To improve relations with the Philippines, Siam and other neighbouring countries on the basis of “the five principles of coexistence.” In London, diplomatic observers said they were surprised at the mild tone of Mr Chou’s speech. There was a feeling in London that the Chinese might take advantage of the conference platform to carry out a propaganda attack on Britain’s colony, Hong Kong.